Saturday, April 13, 2013

I just finished watching Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and I must say, my favorite part of that movie is the relationship between the mermaid, Syrena, and the missionary, Philip. When he places his shirt on her and carries her, I melt. When she comes back for him and simply wants him to ask for help so she can save him, I melt.

To me, there is just something so beautiful in the simplicity of expression.

In the Keira Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice, I absolutely adore the scene where Mr. Darcy helps Elizabeth Bennet into the carriage. The next shot we see is Mr. Darcy flexing his hand at having touched her. I have a tendency to multitask as I watch movies, but there are some scenes that draw me to the television, front and center, each time they come on. This is one of those scenes. Mr. Darcy's gesture is so simple, but speaks volumes about how he is beginning to feel about Elizabeth Bennet.

In the Emma Thompson version of Sense and Sensibility when Kate Winslet's character, Marianne Dashwood, thanks Alan Rickman's character, Colonel Brandon, for saving her when she became caught in a thunderstorm, I tear up. The look on his face is so moving. She has been less than sincere to him in her gratitude before, but this time she means it and he can feel her sincerity. It is so much more touching because he already loves her, body and soul.

The look on Gerard Butler's face in Dear Frankie when Emily Mortimer's character, Lizzie, is explaining why Frankie, her son, is deaf is almost indescribable. Even Emily herself in the extras on the DVD said that the look on Gerard Butler's face brought her to tears as they were filming. And, the kiss their characters share later on in the film is so incredibly perfect, but breathtakingly simple.

In a world where we are becoming oversexed and nothing is left to our imaginations in all avenues of media and literature, I welcome and cherish these quiet expressions of passion and feeling. There is so much more depth when all the intimate and private details are not spelled out for all to see.

Monday, April 1, 2013

I want to start by saying congratulations to Kristia who won my book in the giveaway that was held during my book blog tour. Thanks for your support, Kristia! And, thank you to all who participated. It was a lot of fun.

As you can see, I changed the look of my blog. It needed updating. It was therapeutic. As I learn more, I'll do more. I'm happy with this...for now. :-)

My book is under some...construction. When it's done, I'll explain what that means. But, for now, I wanted to share my thoughts on the movie The Host. I am a huge movie buff. I love movies---good movies, that is. But, of course, I also love to read, and I read The Host like many did when it came out, so I was looking forward to the release of the movie. I know this won't make many fans, but I wasn't thrilled with the cast of the Twilight series. Sorry. Kristen Stewart and Rob Pattinson just didn't do it for me.

However, I really liked the cast for The Host. The lead actress, Saoirse (pronounced sear-shuh) Ronan, wouldn't have been my first pick for Melanie, but she did a respectable job, and by the end, I really liked her. I thought Max Irons was spot on for Jared. I swear he was who I pictured when I read the book (and such a cutie). Jake Abel as Ian, and William Hurt as Jeb were also excellent picks in my opinion. I thought they portrayed their characters very well.

The movie itself clipped along well. I had a hard time engaging in the book, and it wasn't until about the eighth chapter that I really became immersed. But, the movie does a good job at trying to say all that needs to be said without dragging. Like most movies that are adaptations of books there were some changes, but I thought they hit the highlights the best they could with their time allotment.

All-in-all, I thought The Host was a good movie. My mother, sister and I were laughing as we walked out of the theater; we bet Saoirse didn't mind all her "on screen" kissing time. One girl + two hotties = one very lucky girl.

If you liked the book, or you like movies in general, I recommend seeing The Host. It's a fun getaway with a beautiful message.

P.S. For what it's worth, The Hobbit was exceptional, Safe Haven was a sweet story, and Jack the Giant Slayer (yes, I know, some of you may be rolling your eyes) was just good, clean fun. :-) I recommend them all.

Thanks for the visit!

About Me

I have been happily married to my husband for fifteen years. We met at Brigham Young University on a blind date, and, at first, I was sure he wasn't for me, but now I cannot imagine my life without him. My life is busy, but I try to keep it as simple as possible, focusing on what matters most to me---home and family. I love to read, cook, spend time with my family, and now I can add writing to that list---it is my creative outlet; we all need one.